Twine-tension device for harvesters, shockers, and the like.



B. R. BENJAMIN.

TWINE TENSION DEVICE FOR HARVESTERS, SHOCKERS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE IL 1913.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

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TWINE TENSION DEVICE FOR HARVESTERS, SHOCKERS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, I913- Mia $765565.

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BERT n. BENJAMIN, 0E oAK rank, ILLI OIS, AssIGNort To rNrEnNATIoNAL HAR-vEs'r COMPANY or NEW JERSEY, A conronArIoN 0E NEW JERSEY.

TWINE-TENSION DEVICE FOR EAEvEsTEEs, SHOCKERS, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Application filed June 12, 1913. Serial No. 773,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERT R. -BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Twine-Tension Devicesfor Harvesters, Shockers, and the like, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to twine tension devices for harvesters, shockersand the like.

It has for its object tomaintain the twine supplied to the bindingneedle of the machine at the proper tension during all stages of thebinding operation in such a manner that while all deleterious slack isremoved, the needle is free to move at all times. I attain this objectby providing an improved twine guiding and.tensioning device normallyretarding the free passage of the twine and maintaining the same underten' sion, yet automatically operable when a pull is exerted upon thetwine to release the latter and permit the same to pass freely to theneedle.

In order that my invention may be fully and clearly disclosed, I haveillustrated two embodiments of the same in the accompanying drawings. Itis to beunderstood, however, that both the embodiments shown herein aresusceptible of modification.

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a binder equipped with one form of myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the twine tension. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the twine tension. Fig. 4.- is a partial sectionalview of the same showing the lower holding member in section. Figs. 5, 6and 7 are detail views of parts of the mechanism. Fig. 8 is a sideelevation of a shocker with a modified form of my improvement thereon.Fig. 9 is a side elevation partially in section of the form of tensionshown in Fig. 8.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1' to 7 inclusive, I have illustrateda' binder of standard construction having a needle 1 carried on theusual needle shaft 2. and

adapted to cooperate in the usual manner with any standard form ofknotter mechanism (not shown) drawing the twine from a twine receptacle3; an improved twine guide and tension being carried beneath the binderdeck 4 and cooperating with this needle in a manner hereinafterdescribed.

As'shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this twine tension comprises a frame 5 havingparallel sides and a flat base provided with laterally extending lugs 6by which it is attached to the under side of the binder deck 4 throughany suitable means. The sides of this frame preferably protrudesubstantially vertically I downward and act as supports for a spindlebeing preferably substantially oval in shape as shown and provided withrounded edges so that the twine may not be frayed in its passagetherethrough. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the web 11 at the endlfarthestremoved from the needle is provided with a longitudinally disposedextension 12 in which is journaled between suitable projections 13, therear end 14: of a substantially L-shaped tensioning lever .15.Intermediate the ends of this-lever and beneath the pinion 8, mounted inthe frame 5, a cooperating twine tension member 16 is j ournaled in themember 15 on a suitable spindle 17, .this

member being provided with a' smooth conby a nut 21, being provided onthe lower end of the bolt to hold the member 15 normally in elevatedposition. Further, in order to guide the twine as it passes out of theopening 10, the upstanding end 22 of the member 15 is provided with atwine guiding eyelet 23; this eyelet normally being. held by the springin a plane above the pivot 14:, as shown in Fig. 3. The operation of theconstructionshown in these figures is as follows: When the twine isdrawn oif by the needle 1 as it rotates withits, shaft 2, the member 15is forced downwardby' the twine about its pivot 14 on the frame 5 andagainst the pressure of the spring 20 in such a manner as to lower thetension member 16 and release the twine so that the same may be drawnfreely from the twine box 3 during the binding operation. As soon asthis op-' eration is completed, that is, as soon as the needle movesback to its normal position beneath the binder deck, the tension exertedby it upon the twine will then be relieved and the spring '20 will actimmediately to raise the lever 15 and again clamp the twine between theteeth of the pinion 8 and the concave surface of the member 16. Ob-

viously, any suitable means, such as guides concave member 16cooperating with the pinion, I use a second pinion 27 this pinion beingjournaled' in the member 15 in the same position as was the concavemember 16 andpreferablyout of mesh with the pinion 8 as shown. Further,in this construction I employ an elongated depending slack absorbing. ortension rod 28 which forms a spindlefor the pinion'27 and extendsdownward and at an angle therefrom to a point adjacent the bottom frame29 of'the shocker, where it is provided with a hooked end 30 havinganeyelet 31 therein through which the twine passes up to theshockerbinding needle 32. The operation of the construction shown in thesefigures is substantially thesame as that described in connection withFigs. 1 and 7 the member 15 being rocked about its pivot to depress thepinion 27 and release the twine when the needle 32 is operated and thetension member 28 is drawn to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8,preferably limited in its movement by striking a fixed part of thesupporting frame 5. It is to be noted that in this position the twineguide 31 on the member 28 is below the twine guide-23 so that when theneedle draws off: the twine, the upper end of the member 15 must ofnecessity be depressed to lower the pinion 27 and free the twine.Obviously, as soon as the binding operation is completed and the needle32 thrown back, as inthe case of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 7the spring 20 will act immediately and automatically to cause the twineto beagain gripped between the teeth of the pinions 8 and 27 and themember 28 will fall downward of its own weight to take up the slack.

It is to be noted that in my improvement, means are provided whichnormally hold the twine under tension and are only freed when a pull isexerted upon the twine during the operation of the binding mechanism. Itis further to be noted that when the binding mechanism is operated, thetwine is immediately drawn forward as the first tension placed upon thetwine serves to free it from' the tension device. Attention is furtherdirected to the fact that the construction shown is exceedingly simpleand of a type which may be readily and cheaply manufactured at smallexpense and adapted to use in connection with binders, shockers and likedevices of standard construction.

' While I have in this application described one form which my inventionmay assume in practice, it is to be understood that the forms shownherein for purposes of illustration may be modified without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a twine tension device, twine gripping means releasable upontension being applied to the twine, and a cooperating normally operativeslack absorbing'member acting upon the twine drawn through said twinegripping means and movable with the movable element of said releasablemeans when the twine is put under tension.

2. In a twine tension device, a frame, a spring-held swinging twineguiding lever pivotally mounted thereon, cooperating twine grippingmembers carried on said frame and lever normally gripping the twine, anda swinging slack absorbing member carried on said lever and protrudinglongitudinally forward and downward with respect to said lever.

3. In atwine tensioning device for harvesters and the like, a frame, arotary member journaled in said frame, a lever pivoted to said frame anddisposed horizontally beneath said rotary member, resilient meansnormally holding said lever in elevated posi tion, a member carried bysaid lever normally cooperating with said rotary member to position andgrip the twine, and a twine guidecarried at one end of said leverextending into a plane a considerable distance above the lowest point onthe periphery of said rotary member so as to defiect'the twinepositively to one side of a straight line so that when tension isapplied to the twine tending to return it to a straight line the leverwill be depressed to "release the grip upon the twine.

4:. In a twine tensioning device for harvesters and the like, a framehaving twine openings in its opposite'ends and depending portionsdisposed substantially at right angles to each other, one of saidportions having spaced depending lugs thereon and the other having aslot therein, a substantially L-shaped rocking lever journaled betweensaid lugs and having its horizontal portion movable in said slot,resilient means carried on said frame at one side of said lugs normallyholding said lever in elevated position, cooperating twine grippingmembers carried on said frame and rocking lever,

and a twine guide formed on the upright leg .of said lever having atwine openin disposed above the pivot of said lever and in alinementwith the openings in said frame.

5. In a twine tensioning device for harvesters and the like, a frame, arotary member journaled in the side walls of said frame, a lever pivotedto said frame and disposed horizontally beneath said rotary member,resilient means normally holding said lever in elevated position, amember carried by said lever normally cooperating with said rotarymember to position the twine, a twine guide carried at one end of saidlever extending into a plane above the lowest point on the periphery ofsaid rotary member, and a twine tensioning member pivoted to said leverand protruding at an angle therefrom.

6. In a twine tensioning device for harvesters and the like, a frame, arotary memher j ournaled in the side walls of said frame, a leverpivoted to said frame and disposed horizontally beneath said rotarymember, resilient means normally holding said lever in elevatedposition, a member carried by said lever normally cooperating with saidrotary member to position the twine, a twine guide carried at one end ofsaid lever and extending into a plane above the pivot of said lever uponthe frame, and a twine tensioning member pivoted to said lever andprotruding at an angle therefrom, one end of said tensiom'ng memberserving as a spindle for the twine positioning member carried by saidlever.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

BERT R. BENJAMIN. Witnesses:

RAY D. LEE, H. L. ROCKWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

